ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 16– Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Claver Gatete called for accelerating digital education in Africa to help the continent achieve its future development agendas. Speaking at the 44th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU), Gatete said Africa needs to accelerate digital connectivity, accessibility, and affordability to bridge the digital divide on the continent. Noting that education is a basic human right and a key enabler for achieving Africa’s collective socioeconomic development objectives, the UNECA chief said the AU should commit to transforming the continent’s education system into one that is “fit for purpose” in today’s world. The session, which comprises foreign affairs ministers from AU members and runs on Feb. 14-15, is being held under the AU’s theme for the year 2024: “Educate an African fit for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa.” He urged countries in the continent to make the necessary investments in infrastructure, mobilize resources, and develop the right curricula that will allow them to leverage their natural and human capital and demographic dividends. “By 2030, nearly one in two young people globally will be African. But the evolving population dynamics is not matched with vital skills for Africans to fully participate in a changing workforce,” Gatete said. Recalling that African leaders in the 1960s questioned the relevance of the colonial education system in meeting the continent’s development needs, the executive secretary urged African countries to prepare their youth for the future job market. He also urged African governments to put more emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to create more wealth and improve the continent’s competitiveness. “Without a doubt, it makes good business sense to scale up investments in Africa’s education system toward areas that enhance productivity and boost global competitiveness,” Gatete said. According to the Gatete, inadequate resources, lack of education, and absence of basic numeracy are limiting Africa’s STEM landscape. He also urged African leaders to promote cross-continental educational networks and intra-African knowledge sharing and narrow the digital gender divide to deliver better education in the continent.
Xinhua
